Blockages within the vasculature can cause a variety of adverse conditions with the human body. Such blockages can be caused by blood clots or other emboli or deposits on vessel walls. Medical devices, such as emboli capturing devices, exist to address these issues. Embolic protection devices can be, for example, an occlusion balloon or other type of occluder which substantially restricts passage of debris past the balloon, but which also substantially restricts passage of blood, medications, or other materials past the occlusion balloon or other occluder. Occlusion devices can be used, for example, to isolate an area of vasculature in order to perform a procedure such as removal of emboli. Embolic protection devices can also be a filter type device, for example a filter which collects any debris which is too large to pass through the filter. The filter can become clogged with debris or with thrombus and can thereby become partially or entirely occlusive over time, thus restricting the passage of blood, medications, or other materials past the filter.
Embolic protection devices are sometimes placed downstream from a treatment area in a blood vessel so that emboli produced by any treatment can be captured or contained or otherwise treated. Embolic protection devices can also be placed upstream from a treatment area, or both upstream and downstream to isolate the treatment area. Limitations on the flow of fluids caused by these devices, especially blood, can cause issues such as ischemia in patients, and may limit the effectiveness of any infused medication or other materials as well. A number of different structures and assemblies for such devices and procedures are known, each having certain advantages and disadvantages. However, there is an ongoing need to provide alternative structures, assemblies and methods.